Montenegro vs England, LIVE: All the latest Euro 2020 qualifier drama

Montenegro 1-3 England, LIVE: Follow all the latest Euro 2020 qualifier updates from Podgorica as it happens

  • Michael Keane grabbed 30th minute equaliser after shock Montenegro opener
  • Ross Barkley put England in front after superb assist from Callum Hudson-Odoi
  • Barkley then doubled his tally and England’s lead just short of the hour mark 
  • Hudson-Odoi and Declan Rice handed full England debuts
  • Montenegro starting XI: Petkovic, Stojkovic, Savic, Simic, Tomasevic, Marusic, Ivanic, Vukcevic, Vesovic, Beciraj (Jankovic), Mugosa
  • Montenegro subs: Mijatovic, Ljuljanovic, Boljevic, Kopitovic, Bakic, Djordjevic, Jovetic, Kajevic, Kosovic, Scekic, Radunovic
  • England starting XI: Pickford, Walker, Maguire, Keane, Rose, Barkley, Rice, Alli (Henderson), Sterling, Kane, Hudson-Odoi
  • England subs: Heaton, Butland, Trippier, Tarkowski, Chilwell, Ward-Prowse, Sancho, Wilson
  • Three Lions defeated Czech Republic 5-0 in their opening match at Wembley 
  • LIVE: The rest of the night’s Euro 2020 qualifiers including France and Portugal
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  • Dan Ripley

    Host commentator

67min: Giving away fre-kicks 25 yards out won’t do much for the nerves either, but the Three Lions surive as Stefan Mugosa can only find the wall.

66min: This game is still not over. One defensive lapse has already seen Montenegro score and another would really give the home side and their fans a lift heading into the final stages.

Here is how Barkley doubled England’s lead:

64min: A quiet night for Alli, and it comes to an end for the Tottenham Hotspur star as he is replaced by Jordan Henderson.



61min: First change for Montenegro as Beciraj, who missed that big chance at 2-1, is replaced by Marko Jankovic.

59min: Big goal in this game. Sterling’s persistence pays off as his low cut-back is diverted into the path of Ross Barkely who grabs his second of the night with a cool finish from 12 yards.

58min: Coming up to the hour mark and Montenegro are starting to press England and force a few mistakes. An interesting 30 minutes coming up for the visitors who in this second half have had little to shout about aside from this Hudson-Odoi effort:

55min: England really should win the game from this position but it is far from a given – especially when they continue to have lapses of concentration.

Danny Rose twice has a chance to clear his lines from inside the box but instead loses the ball, leading to Fatos Beciraj firing wide from close range when he should be scoring.

54min: One of the harsher yellow cars you will see? Ross Barkley is booked for taking a free-kick too quickly.

51min: If Hudson-Odoi doesn’t get a game at Chelsea after tonight then he may never get one. After yet another confident run by cutting inside, he fires a low shot towards goal that is well saved by Danijel Petkovic.

48min: Half-chance for Sterling. It’s Hudson-Odoi creating sparks again, looping a cross to the back post. But faced with a half-volley the forward can only fire way off target. Could have perhaps done better but it was not the easiest chance.


As it stands it will be Bulgaria on England’s tail by the end of the night. They lead 1-0 in Kosovo courtesy of a Vasil Bozhikov strike six minutes before half-time.

Montenegro have focused so much on trying to keep Sterling quiet, they forgot about Hudson-Odoi, whose jinking run and positive play has helped England go into the break with a lead.

A great response from the Chelsea forward having been caught dozing a little defensively early in the first half.

The other stand out star is Ross Barkley, created one (David Beckham-esque free-kick by the way) and scored one in one of his best halves in an England jersey.



Away at Lithuania in a Euro 2016 qualifier if you are asking…


42min: Excellent response from England after going a goal down then. Now a chance to see what Montenegro are all about as we they chase the game for the first time.

Here is how England took the lead:

39min: That’s both of England’s perceived villains from Montenegro’s opener making amends now. Hudson-Odoi was caught ball watching for the first goal but his bread and butter is attacking.

After collecting a Kane pass he darts straight into the box before crossing to th back post for Ross Barkley to prod home.

37min: Much better from England. A cross into the box finds Sterling at the back post but his shot is blocked and the resulting pinball action in front of the Montenegro goal somehow results in the hosts clearing. Here is Keane’s goal:






34min: Good effort from Stefan Mugosa who from 30 yards tests Jordan Pickford with a long range strike. The Everton keeper though is right behind it to make a routine save.

33min: That goal doesn’t solve England’s inability to break down Montenegro from opening play, but it does bring calm to the Three Lions who in fairness are probably worth a draw at this stage.

The Southgate song is well underway from the England band, half-an-hour later than I thought it would make its first sounding. 

30min: Michael Keane was found wanting a bit for the opening goal but he makes amends, nodding Barkley’s back post free-kick across goal into the bottom corner.

27min: England have the quality but they don’t have the nous right now. Stojkovic has an answer to everything Sterling throws at him on the left, while Montenegro are taking advantage of Hudson-Odoi’s lack of defensive care in these early stages as they probe the left flank.

Vesovic escapes again down that side but his low ball into the box is cleared by Danny Rose.

24min: Montenegro are just coming into the game more now. hate to say it but England are looking a little lost out there. Harry Kane has hardly had a kick and the home side are looking very comfortable right now following their opening goal:





21min: Better from the visitors as Callum Hudson-Odoi whips in a cross towards the far post from the right, but Stefan Savic does well to intercept in front of Harry Kane and put the ball out for a corner – one the hosts clear.

20min: That should be a wake-up call for England who aside from this excellent Sterling run have not shown any urgency to take the lead.

It’s also going to test their mentality. Now is the time for cool heads that Joe Cole refereed to before the game.

17min: Totally against the run of play, but this is a top finish. Marko Vesovic picks up a second ball, and after somehow bundling through the England defence then beds a lovely strike across goal into the corner.

12min: Great play from England. Sterling has moved over to the right and after bating three players to get into the box he delivers a dangerous ball towards the penalty spot. Dele Alli meets it but is under too much pressure to tun it towards goal as the hosts clear.

10min: One surprise is the home crowd, who appear slightly less raucous than they have been in previous visits. Not much change in the pattern of the play otherwise, England retaining possession and not doing a whole lot else.

7min: That’s a small chance for England. Harry Maguire manages to lose his marker from a Ross Barkley corner kick but he can only nod well off target.

5min: Neat little through ball from Danny Rose is chased by Raheem Sterling on the left but he is well marshalled by Filip Stojkovic who wins a free-kick in a resulting tangle. England with all the ball so far, but the hosts are standing firm.

3min: Plenty of respect shown to England by Montenegro in these first few minutes. England are being invited to attack and try and break down a red wall put up by the hosts.

Kosovo and Bulgaria is the other group game this evening – a draw in Vokrri being the best preferred result for England at this stage of the campaign. Everyone taking points off each other and all that.

As the England national anthem is respectably observed by the hosts here is a final reminder of how the teams will line up at Podgorica.









‘This is the most promising England side I have seen in 30 years,’ he told ITV.

‘In games like this, with the atmosphere, we have seen rash tackles and it has cost the team. The gaffer will be looking at this and seeing if the young lads can get the job done.’

How long before we hear the ‘Atomic Kitten’ themed song about the England manager from the band? I give it two minutes – unless of course they are drowned out by a partisan home support which is a possibility.


Montenegro: Petkovic, Stojkovic, Savic, Simic, Tomasevic, Marusic, Ivanic, Vukcevic, Vesovic, Beciraj, Mugosa.
Subs: Mijatovic, Ljuljanovic, Boljevic, Kopitovic, Bakic, Jankovic,
Djordjevic, Jovetic, Kajevic, Kosovic, Scekic, Radunovic.

England: Pickford, Walker, Maguire, Keane, Rose, Barkley, Rice, Alli, Sterling, Kane, Hudson-Odoi.
Subs: Heaton, Butland, Trippier, Henderson, Tarkowski, Chilwell, Ward-Prowse, Sancho, Wilson.

Referee: Aleksei Kulbakov (Belarus)

…but they have drawn three of them – including both their away games where they conceded late equalisers.

Last time in Podgorica – six years ago tomorrow – Wayne Rooney headed England in front before the hosts levelled with 16 minutes to play.

Perhaps more memorably in 2011, England through away a 2-0 lead to concede an equaliser in the last minute as they edged their way into booking a place at Euro 2012.

Wayne Rooney was sent off for a needless kick-out at an opponent, resulting in him missing the first two fixtures of the tournament in Poland/Ukraine.

It’s a much changed England side from the win over Czech Republic but of the four changes two have been forced upon Gareth Southgate.

Eric Dier and Sancho picked up knocks at Wembley and they drop out the team along with Jordan Henderson and full-back Ben Chilwell.

Coming into the side are Danny Rose, Ross Barkley, Declan Rice and Callum Hudson-Odoi, with the latter two making their full England debuts.

Pickford, Walker, Rose, Keane, Maguire, Rice, Barkley, Alli, Hudson-Odoi, Sterling, Kane.




But one man who will not feature is Jadon Sancho, who having helped light up Wembley on Friday is ruled out after failing a fitness test.



Temperatures will be around 10 degrees Celsius this early Spring evening, but you can be sure the fans will ensure it’s going to get pretty heated inside the Gradski Stadium later on.











But can Gareth Southgate’s side do it on a mild Monday evening in Podgorica?

Granted, it’s not the ‘cold Tuesday night at Stoke’ test but with England yet to win in their previous two trips to Montenegro, this will not be a stroll in the park as I welcome you to our live coverage of all the action from the Gradski Stadium.

England will be looking to build on their highly impressive start to qualifying for Euro 2020 when they make the trip to Montenegro at the Gradski Stadium in Podgodrica.

The Three Lions saw off perceived main group rivals Czech Republic 5-0 in at Wembley and will now target their first ever win at Montenegro following two previous draws in Podgorica.

Follow all the action from the 7.45pm kick-off as it happens as Gareth Southgate’s side look to maintain their perfect start.

If you are using the app, please click here to view today’s live blog

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